When the temperatures dropped to a cool freeze last month, it wasn’t just the strawberry farmers who were out in their fields making sure the crop was protected. Simmons Career Center ag teacher, Melissa Sampson, was guarding the school’s strawberry field, sprinkling it with water to encase the berries in a layer of ice. She scoured the rows and checked on the field into the wee hours of the morning.
Now that’s a dedicated teacher.
Sampson has only been teaching at Simmons for two years. But since her arrival, the ag program has grown. The previous ag teacher who taught for more than 50 years was well loved. She knew she had to carry on his tradition of excellence.
“I had some big shoes to fill,” Sampson said.
So, she devised a plan to win over the faculty and students at the school.
During her first year, Sampson brought some of her students to select rabbits to show. Since then, showing a couple of rabbits has turned into showing three pigs and a lamb.
“I got a little crazy over the summer trying to figure out how to make things better,” said Sampson, who considers animals her expertise.
This year, the students have been working with a lamb, Claire, and three pigs, Bailey, Bruiser and Buster.
Bruiser was named for his two black eyes. He went to the Florida State Fair and was the first pig to weigh in at more than 300 pounds.
Simmons’ FFA president, Anthony Nadal, will show Buster at the Florida Strawberry Festival. Sampson has also showed animals in the festival.
“Being at the festival with a student who’s showing will really bring it home for me,” Sampson said.
Sampson hopes to add a heifer or steer to the animal lineup next year.
“That would really make me happy,” Sampson said.
Although Sampson likes to work with animals, it’s the new strawberry field that really pulled together the school and the community.
Before, there was a smaller field in which students grew vegetables. But even though Simmons is located in the winter strawberry capital of the world, there were no strawberries to be found on campus.
So, Sampson enlisted her childhood friend and third-generation strawberry farmer, Skeeter Coleman, to help revamp the field. Coleman donated the materials to make the field a reality, including the plastic, plants, fertilizer and the irrigation system.
“I did it to show these kids what it’s all about,” Coleman said. “These are the kids we will be hiring. We want to show them what it’s about to see if they like it.”
One of Sampson’s favorite things about the industry is the sense of community many farmers have. Coleman is a perfect example.
“It’s just that support,” Sampson said. “The industry will grow because they’re helping the young people to learn. It’s the lifestyle. It’s what we do.”
Sampson also got a chance to learn more about the strawberry planting process from Coleman.
“It was fun,” Coleman said. “There was a learning curve for her. She’s the type of person who wants to learn — it’s not just a job. And that makes it easier on us when it’s someone who wants to learn.”
Since December, the students have picked more than 100 flats — faculty and parents have snatched up most of the berries. The money raised from the sales goes back to the ag program.
During class, the students get to pick strawberries and tend to their assigned rows. If they’re lucky, they can munch on strawberries from the “eating bin.”
The students love the new field and program.
“This is my favorite time of day,” Lavena Kimmel said. “When she’s (Sampson) not here, my day is just done.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.